Things are still quiet around here. A case of burnout and the events of everyday life have kept me from writing terribly much of late. Still, it’s very heartening to see that even when my writing output here slows to a halt, there are plenty of people reading the blog – which now stretches back nine years! Can you believe it? Even when I’m not writing, there are always people using the resources that are already here. They are doing it right now! For this I’m grateful and encouraged. I’m also encouraged by the correspondence I continue to receive about material at the blog and podcast. I’m amazed and humbled by the wide range of people who have expressed appreciation for the material I post here.
I’m involved in various things offline, some related to my path towards ordination, some for other things (like preparing a short teaching series for “Rooftops,” a student group here in Wellington) – and of course marriage and fatherhood! Our four children are nearly all teenagers now. But there are a few blog entries in the works. In particular I started a few series that are still unfinished:
The Bible and the mind-body question. In part one I explained that a material view of human beings (as opposed to substance dualism) is a biblical view. In part two I looked at some of the few proof texts that some people use to make a case for dualism and explained how they are being misused. Part three is still on the way, in which I will look at more of the proof texts.
In “The Tongues of Men and Angels, part 1,” I started a series on the contemporary phenomenon of “speaking in tongues,” or at least on the biblical passages one which the phenomenon is thought to be based. In part one I looked at 1 Corinthians 13, and in the next part I will look at 1 Corinthians 14 and the book of Acts.
In “Free to discriminate, part 1” I looked at the controversy around religious freedom laws in the United States and the way that the way that they allegedly permit unacceptable discrimination. In part one I looked at issues of fact concerning the legislation itself and its real world consequences. In part two I intend to look at the moral question of discrimination, whether it is acceptable and whether or not (and to what extent) it should be permitted.
I’m also working on an article for Moral Apologetics on my suggestion that non-theistic ethical non-naturalism is an ad-hoc hypothesis. Stay tuned for that. Also do take a look at the other sites I write for sometimes, Afterlife and Rethinking Hell.
I’m at work on all of these things, albeit slowly, and have plans for other pieces of writing. And as I continue to consider and work towards ordination for ministry (and as those responsible continue to consider me!), I welcome your prayers for discernment. I still have (and will always have) a long way to go.
Glenn Peoples
Reed
> In part two I intend to look at the moral question of discrimination, whether it is acceptable and whether or not (and to what extent) it should be permitted.
A suggestion: No justification is needed to permit something – consider instead whether punishment is justified – and if so what punishment is justified.
Mike
Hi Glenn,
Glad to hear that things are still progressing and that your life is going well!
I recently re-listened to the Imagine There is no Heaven podcast. In it you teased a treatment of your view of the intermediate state. Are there any plans for this subject? I could imagine that it may fit in with the mind – body question but was just curious to hear what you have to say.
As someone that has been here a while, you have inspired me to “pay it forward” if you will. I recently taught a youth class. They were amazed that I actually was very critical of some concepts introduced by other Christian apologists. I explained that we need to hold ourselves up to a high standard and that being labeled “Christian” should not be good enough when assessing arguments, research, literature, etc. That being said…I chose not to play Symphony of Destruction as an example of quality music with a message that is implicitly Christian.
Thanks again for all of your hard work.
Mike
Brandon Barr
Thanks for all you do Glenn!
Frank
Thanks for the update, Glenn. Your blog, podcasts, youtube videos, and various writings are a real blessing to me. I meet with a few Christian men on a regular basis for bible study, to pick a book to read (we just discussed Is God A Moral Monster), or to chew the fat. We are currently discussing conditional immortality vs the traditionalist view and your podcasts on the early church father’s including Athanasius, as well as your youtube video The Case for Annihilationism, have been appreciated by everyone involved.
Thanks for everything you do! You are in my prayers.
John Carter
Hey Glenn- please keep pushing forward with your series on Dualism. In particular, I think it’d be nice to see some focus on what “spirit” is in the old testament.